Aaron T. Beck, M.D., widely known as the father of cognitive therapy, was University Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and president of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research. He graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Brown University, and went on to attend Yale Medical School. He received more than 18 major professional awards from associations such as the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychopathological Association.